Happy Fourth of July, everyone! I hope you’re having an amazing weekend and that great food has been (or will be) included in your Independence Day celebrations. Enjoy!

Now, about last night’s Star episode — this is what I’ve been left thinking:

Justin D. – wow, what happened there? He got the boot and his performance definitely justified the elimination. I didn’t know what to make of the persona he put forth. That newly created hip-hop alter ego came out of nowhere. The judges had been asking him to show more of his personality, but that must have proved too difficult and he decided to make up a random one instead. It was strange and Justin had to go.

Penny, once again, stirred the pot. I find it amusing that she has spent five episodes being unfriendly to everyone in the house and yet became emotional when talking to the judges — almost insinuating she, herself, had been mistreated. Jyll with a “y” hit the nail on the head: Penny is self-entitled.

You know who really surprised me last night? Susie! She has previously been forgettable, but she came out swinging. I loved her in both challenges and I feel like I got to see more of Susie’s personality shine through. She’s one to watch.

And finally, Mr. Guy Fieri. He is the example of what this show can do for someone. Like Guy, one of these season 7 finalists will walk away from this experience with their life forever changed. I’m excited to see who that person is.

That’s it for this week. I need to prepare for this afternoon’s barbecue, so I’m keeping it short. Before you head to your festivities, tell me what you thought of the episode.